Welcome to the new edition of the GFSI blog! In this entry, we asked the four agricultural fellows coming from Ghana, Mozambique, Kenya, and Burkina Faso to tell us about their transformative experiences taking part in The United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) fellowship program: Advancing Agricultural Excellence, here at the University of Florida (UF). Each fellow had the opportunity to share their perspectives engaging with cutting-edge agricultural technologies and innovative practices that we hope will significantly impact their home organizations and countries.  

Our visitors gained hands-on experience in techniques such as animal feeding, silage preparation, livestock-cropping systems integration, and nutrient use efficiency optimization. This highlights the potential for agricultural progress across Africa and underscores the importance of scientific exchange programs in fostering this progress. The fellows also reflect on the warm hospitality they encountered, the connections they made, and how they plan to apply the acquired knowledge to improve agricultural practices, enhance food security, and support sustainable development in their respective regions. 

Please keep reading to learn more about their experiences! 

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 Name: Esther Amano-Kraah 

Country: Ghana 

Institution: Ministry of Food and Agriculture/Animal Production Directorate/Pong-Tamale Livestock Breeding Station 

My Experience in Florida 

My name is Esther Amano-Kraah, and I am from Ghana, West Africa. I am affiliated with the Pong Tamale Livestock Breeding Station, which is one of the livestock breeding stations under the Animal Production Directorate. This directorate is also under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Ghana. 

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the USDA/FAS Advancing Agricultural Excellence scientific exchange fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. The focus of the fellowship was to learn state-of-the-art agricultural technologies. 

What I Liked the Most About Florida and the Fellowship Experience: 

I had a wonderful time in Florida. The warm weather reminded me of my home country, and the people we met, especially Professor Diwakar (Vyas), were very welcoming. I also enjoyed learning about the latest agricultural technology during the field trips and the hands-on training sessions. 

Most Important Learning: 

I gained valuable knowledge during the exchange program on topics like silage preparation, engaging in lab activities, integrating livestock in cropping systems, and effectively managing waste from livestock systems. 

How I Plan to Use the Acquired Knowledge in My Home Country: 

I plan to share my knowledge with my colleagues at work, farmers, students, and livestock owners who regularly visit my workstation for consultation on livestock and forages. 

Additionally, I will work on implementing activities at my station, such as chopping and ensiling crop residues like rice straw and soya hulls. I plan to use them to feed our ruminants during the dry season, ultimately increasing the intake and digestibility of their feed. 

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Name: Abílio Paulo Changule 

Country: Mozambique 

Institution: Directorate of Animal Science – Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique 

My Experience in Florida 

My name is Abílio Paulo Changule, and I am from Mozambique. I am affiliated with the Directorate of Animal Science at the Agricultural Research Institute of Mozambique. Recently, I had the life-changing opportunity to participate in a USDA-FAS fellowship program in Florida, USA. The primary aim of the fellowship was to learn about innovative technologies in animal feeding and fertilizers. I hope to use this knowledge to contribute to the advancement of the agricultural sector and food security in Mozambique. 

What I Liked the Most About Florida and the Fellowship Experience: 

I was captivated by the stunning landscape, particularly the lush green lawns in the backyards with palm trees. The friendly people and the state-of-the-art agricultural technology were also highlights for me. The field trips and hands-on training were especially valuable. 

However, what I cherished above all were the interactive sessions with my fellow participants, students, and various agricultural professionals from diverse backgrounds and expertise. They greatly contributed to deepening my understanding of my field. 

Most Important Learning: 

I learned about the effectiveness of integrating livestock into cropping systems to enhance soil fertility and increase dry matter and biomass, while simultaneously reducing the need for conventional fertilizer. In addition, I learned about the importance of improving feed efficiency in dairy and beef operations to enhance profitability and sustainability. 

How I Plan to Use the Acquired Knowledge in My Home Country:  

I plan to integrate livestock into cropping farms to improve feed efficiency in my country and organization. I aim to help build capacity through seminars and training programs for ranchers, farmers, and other stakeholders. 

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Name: Fatimata SABA 

Country: Burkina Faso 

Institution: Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA) 

My Experience in Florida 

My name is Fatimata SABA, and I come from Burkina Faso. I am affiliated with the Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA), working with the Department of Natural Resources and Farming Systems Management at Farako-Ba Research Station. I am working on optimizing nutrient use efficiency by crops, with a focus on microdosing technology and biochar-based slow-release fertilizers. Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the USDA-2024 Scientific Exchange Program at the University of Florida, USA, to learn state-of-the-art agricultural techniques focused on animal feed and fertilizer innovation. 

What I Liked the Most About Florida and the Fellowship Experience: 

I had a great time during the field trip and enjoyed meeting the friendly and generous people in Florida. The people here are open-minded and enjoy sharing knowledge about science, culture, and politics with foreigners. I was impressed by the way research is organized at the University of Florida, with researchers divided into two groups: research-teaching and research-extension. The laboratories are well equipped and organized with research teams including principal investigators, post-docs, PhD students, masters and undergraduate students. I admired how the research and education centers at UF work to provide scientific evidence for agricultural practices, and how they strengthen the connection between effective research and farmers. I believe that this system is crucial to UF’s excellence. 

Most Important Learning: 

The field trips and hands-on training were extremely valuable. I learned that food can be grown in soil with over 70% sand content if the farmer has access to better inputs like fertilizers, seeds, and water, as well as better management practices that integrate livestock and cropping systems. I also gained advanced and practical techniques for analyzing soil health parameters such as carbon, soil proteins, CO2, and available nutrient contents, using tools like MIRS, Spectrophotometer (Microplate reader for POX-C), and Shimadzu TOCL-Analyze for C & N. These techniques can be highly efficient and beneficial for farm management. 

How I Plan to Use the Acquired Knowledge in My Home Country: 

During my visit to NFREC (North Florida Research and Education Center) of Marianna, I learned how to build adapted equipment for gas measurement and H-pot, useful to study nitrogen flux between legumes and non-fixing plants. I plan to adapt and implement this technique in my county and share this knowledge with local farmers to improve crop yields and water conservation. I also plan to introduce some forage (Bahia/Lympo grass) in the cereal cropping system as species that could improve nutrient and water dynamics. Additionally, I plan to advocate with decision-makers for subsidizing low-cost irrigation systems based on exploiting groundwater. This will allow farmers to produce over several cycles per year. The implementation of these practices can make a significant difference to the agricultural system in my country. 

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Name: Paul Leparmarai 

Country: Kenya 

Institution: Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) 

My Experience in Florida 

My name is Paul Leparmarai, and I am from Kenya. I am affiliated with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), which is the national research body mandated to conduct livestock research in Kenya. Recently, I had the amazing opportunity to participate in a fellowship at the University of Florida, USA. The focus of the fellowship was on learning about animal feeding practices, cropping systems, soil and nutrient management, and research extension. 

What I Liked the Most About Florida and the Fellowship Experience: 

I have absolutely enjoyed my time working in the dairy nutrition lab, going on exciting and educational field trips with dairy and beef producers as well as extension agents, and networking extensively at various research stations and conferences. The interactions have been invaluable in terms of the information shared and the practical field experience gained. 

Most Important Learning: 

I learned advanced techniques for animal nutrition and feed analysis, as well as innovative methods for managing and reducing methane emissions from livestock. 

How I Plan to Use the Acquired Knowledge in My Home Country: 

I plan to implement straightforward laboratory techniques for analyzing animal feeds and crop management methodologies, such as intercropping, using cover crops in crop rotation, and soil management. I also aim to learn how to make silage using simple methods like plastic bags and buckets, as well as tube and surface silage. This knowledge is crucial for my fellow scientists and dairy/beef farmers, as it can help improve forage conservation, soil management, and the quality of animal feeds. 

 

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Thanks for reading and see you on the next one!

The GFSI team